60% tax, how absurd. I cringe at my US based 24% (+ 10% self employment) bracket. By the way, love Sweden (summers) though. Been to Stockholm a few times, the first for nearly 3 months.
It's 24% + 10% self employment + (NY? CA?) 9% state tax + Obamacare (often around 5% or more).
And if you have kids, you are paying a lot more stuff that is included as part of the deal in Sweden (and most other European countries).
And when your kids were born, you would have received 12 months paid maternity leave in Sweden (which can be divided among mom and dad).
If we are twenty, have no kids, no medical issues, and on an academic scholarship, the US taxes seem very low. In almost any other situation, they are comparable, even though they look much lower.
And especially at the top bracket, e.g. in NYC you have 39% federal + 13.5% state/local + health care ... which is almost the same 60%, except you get to pay $100K-$200K tuition for yourself or kids, and stuff like that.
Scandinavia is known for high benefits supported by high taxes. The real problem is when you have low benefits and high taxes. In my country, an high income freelancer (paying ~50% taxes) will hardly ever get unemployment, sick leave or child care benefits.
It's the same in the Netherlands. I pay upwards of 50% taxes, but don't get any unemployment, pension or other benefits/insurance. It's ridiculous in my book.
Don’t own a car, and obviously I don’t need health insurance ;). I do spend 15$ per month on home insurance.
Joking aside, I’ve heard several opinions that Sweden is a good country to start a startup in. Since there is a safety net to catch you in case things go sideways you can focus a lot more on the startup without worrying.
